Words Have Power

I am reading a new book by Daniel James Brown called Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II. He is the author who wrote Boys in the Boat. I would recommend it highly.

(Find Facing the Mountain on Amazon.)

While reading yesterday, I came upon a description of a young Japanese soldier. “He wore spectacles, spoke softly, liked to think things through, seemed possessed of a warm heart and a keen mind.” This sentence jumped out at me. I thought, ‘I’d like to be more like this guy.’

It is a little strange to write about something I do not perceive I am very good at. The spectacles I have. Soft-spoken I am not. The rest I am working on. God is not done with me yet. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and I hope you do, too.

The Words We Speak Have Power

I know that the words we speak are way more impactful than we tend to believe. A few days ago, at lunch with some dear friends, they asked me a question I was unprepared for. I blurted out several things. One included speaking poorly about another person.

After I left the meeting, I felt embarrassed and ashamed. Yuk. It is not who I want to be. To wait, stop, pray, and think before I speak is not a strong point. I hope I have the warm heart part. The keen mind part is up to others to judge.

Will You Help Me?

So here is the twist in this post. At the end of each newsletter, I ask for feedback. Many of you respond, for which I am very grateful.

So with this blog post, I’m asking for your help. I am serious. Please share with me:

• How do you think things through before you speak? 
• How do you not just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind?

I can’t wait to learn from you!